Tapered multi-purpose nozzle



y 15, 1958 G. E. LOFGREN 2,842,794

' TAPERED MULTI-PURPOSE NOZZLE Filed Nov. 12, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Gus-14F f/Ame [area-W BY Maw ORNEY July 1958 I e. E. LOFGREN 2,842,794

TAPERED MULTI-PURPOSE NOZZLE Filed Nov. 12,, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3; /Z 32 INVENTOR Gusmr [Mme target/I TAPERED MULTI-PURPOSE. NOZZLE Gustaf Einar Lofgren, Riverside, Cnn., assignor to Electrolux Corporation, Old Greenwich, Conn, a corporation of Delaware Application November 12, 1954, Serial No. 468,245

2 Claims. (Cl. 15-417) This invention relates to a new and improved cleaning tool for use with a conventional tank type cleaner, and especially to a dual purpose type of nozzle, namely one that is provided with two different types of suction nozzles which may be selectively used in order to clean different types of surfaces.

More particularly, this invention embodies a combination rug nozzle and floor brush. Preferably, such a tool should have as low an over-all height as possible in order to effect ready accessibility therewith under low furniture, beds, sofas, chairs and the like. Numerous swivel type nozzles and combination swivel mountings have heretofore been devised. However, such tools have heretofore been excessively high in their vertical dimension and when one member thereof is a floor brush an unduly high nozzle member has almost invariably resulted.

In accordance with this invention an exceptionally appropriately shaped combination nozzle structure is possible, and this without reducing the cross-section of the air suction conduit under any of its operating angular orientations. This is effected by making a nozzle which is relatively flat or at most wedge shaped and hence capable of ready access beneath low furniture, chairs and the like.

Furthermore this tool is so constructed that a valve member, rotatably mounted therein facilitates the ready change-over from one type of nozzle to another type of nozzle without removal of the tool from the suction conduit.

Still another object is to provide a readily dismantled combination floor and rug cleaning nozzle which by inversion and/or simple resetting of certain of its elements may be quickly adapted for continued use and for various and sundry cleaning objectives.

Various other and further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description when taken together with the accompanying drawings which form a part thereof and in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a preferred embodiment of this invention, showing a cleaning tool with its rug cleaning nozzle opening in operative position;

Figure 2 is a rear view, partially in section, taken on the line 22 of Figs. 1 and 3;

Figure 3 is a partial sectional view, with portions broken away, taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 5--5 of Fig. 3; and

Figure 6 is a view similar to that shown in Fig. 4, but showing the cleaning tool with the floor brush in operative position.

In accordance with this invention, the cleaning tool comprises a main nozzle member formed with dissimilar suction nozzles on different angularly disposed faces of the nozzle member which member has a valve structure rotatably mounted on still another face of this same main nited States Patent 0 ice nozzle member. The nozzle suction openings are connected by separate passageways leading through the main nozzle member and terminating at separate openings in the face upon which the valve structure is rotatably mounted. The valve structure itself comprises a suction conduit which is selectively rotatable for communicating the flow of suction air stream to either one of the separate openings. A main connector elbow, preferably swivel mounted and in communication with the suction conduit of the valve structure, serves to effect ready attachment of the cleaning tool to a wand or vacuum cleaner suction hose.

Either one of the rug or floor nozzles may be readily placed in operative position on the supporting wand by simply turning the nozzle member on itst rotatable mounting through 180. In the embodiment illustrated a floor brush nozzle forms one cleaning member while a rug cleaning nozzle forms another cleaning member. However, various other pulposeful cleaning members or suction nozzle openings may be put into similar selective combination with each other to make up the main nozzle member.

Referring now with greater detail to the drawings, reference character 10 designates in general the body member of a cleaning tool different faces of which have formed thereon a floor brush nozzle 12 and a rug nozzle 14. The tool 10 comprises a number of individual parts among which is a die casting or plastic casting 16, Fig. 1 having secured to its upper face a metal stamping 29 provided with a centrally disposed throat or aperture 22 and secured to the casting 16 by screws 24.

The brush elements in the form of strips of bristles 32 are held securely in channels 26, Fig. 4, formed longitudinally or lengthwise along the edges of stamping 29, Figs. 4, 5 and 6. Channels 26 fit securely in grooves 28 formed in casting 16. Thus, the floor brush portion of the cleaning tool is made up of stamping 20 together with the strips of bristles 32.

The opposite face 14 of casting 16 includes elements making up the rug nozzle. In addition to the conventional lips, ribbed portions and the like, the rug nozzle 14 comprises a rod 40, cylindrical in shape having teeth 42 formed on one side thereof and being held in place by means of pads 44, Fig. 2.

Each nozzle has its individual suction passageway in casting 16. Thus the floor brush 12 has an opening or throat 22, Fig. 6, which connects directly to passageway 50 to opening 52 formed in a third face of casting 16, which face is intermediate the face for floor brush 12 and the face for rug nozzle 14.

The rug nozzle 14 is provided with a space bounded by lips 46 and 40 leading to an opening or throat 69, Fig. 4, which connects directly to passageway 62 and then to opening 64 also formed in the third face of casting 16. Both openings 52 and 64 are of the same size and shape but positioned on diagonally opposite sides of a pivot pin '70, Figs. 2 and 3. The openings are each horizontally elongated and they are arranged end to end in substantial alignment in the rear face of the casting.

Valve structure 80 is essentially rotatably mounted on pivot pin 70, Fig. 3, secured thereon by an appropriate washer and nut, and has an internal suction conduit 81 having an opening 82 selectively registrable with rug nozzle opening 64 or by turning through 180 opening $2 is selectively registrable with floor brush opening 52. A spring biased ball and detent element 84, Fig. 3, serves to retain the selected nozzle and valve opening in fixed registration. A rotatably mounted elbow adapted to be connected to an appropriate source of suction by the conventional wand and flexible hose of a vacuum cleaner is swivel mounted by clip 92, Fig. 4, in the other end of suction conduit 81.

3 In, opera 1ion, the cleaning tool herein described is adily. a id e si sed. to ea al pesof u faces With the' parts in the position shown in Figs. 1 through 5, namely with the rug cleaning nozzle in operative position,

tiq sseen Qb nv y f om t e acuum cleaner. tth o h [elb w 10, he p sa eway o h ch. Qmm nicate s with the suction conduit in valve structurefiQ by ys frpas as w yfil ou P n ngBZ hiclire th eeni r64 -p o as w y 62in he; nozzle cast IG-apdthenio throat or nozzle opening 60; of rug cleansingnozz le 10; In thisposition, the tool It? may be used torcle an rugs, carpets andsimilar pile floor coverings. It

can be pushed underneath low furniture and the ,elboWSfi can be swiveled;90 or more in either directionwithout impairing the suction stream by simply loweringtthewandl even down to a position parallel with the floor.

In orderto use the floor brush 12 for cl aning hardwood floors, linoleum and the .like, the cleaning. tool is simply rotated on thepivot 70,- Fig. 4, while immobilizing valve structure 80, Rotation of,10 aboutsits axis through.

l8Q brings opening52, Fig. 3, in register with opening 82 of valve structure 80. In this position communication of the suctiqn air stream from the vacuum cleaner is established through passageway 50, Fig. 6, to throat 224 and directly to the floor brush 12.

With the cleaning tool of this invention it is impossible to. partially block ordisconnect a cleaning nozzletfrom thetsuction. air stream during its regular cIeaningoperation. In addition, the wand may be swung tovarious angularpositions so as to give access to practically every. typeof space while maintaining a full states of suction in the throat vof the cleaning nozzle.

It is to be understood that the preferred embodiment E-IQLIQ QQW descr bed .i tme e y. illustra ive. andnotlimita-o tive of the scope of this invention which may be variously otherwise embodied as determined by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a vacuum cleaner tool, a member formed with dissimilar suction nozzles on opposite faces thereof, a separate passageway leading through said member for each suction nozzle and,terminating in separate horizontally elongated openings arranged end to end in substantial alignment in'a rear face of said member, a valve structure rotatably mounted externally on said rear face of said member atv a pointintermediate saidseparate openings and formed with a horizontally elongated valve port on one side capable upon rotation of said nozzle to be placed in registry with one of said separate openings and capable upon further rotation of said nozzle through tobeoplacedinregistry with the other -ofsai d'separate openings.

2. The structures. of claim 1, having yieldable latch means forlmaintainingthe selected nozzle and v alvelopeninglint communication, one with the other.

References Cited. the. file-,of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS.

1,026,104 Moorhead: May 14, 1912 1,749,001 Carlstedt Dec. -17-, 1929.

R IQN PA E T 589,,471-v Great'Britain June 20, 1947- 

